Indexing cigar pressing machine with automatic input and output

ABSTRACT

An automatic turret-type indexing pressing machine is loaded with round cigars. The cigars are pressed into square (or other) shape and discharged on to a conveyor. A turret-like hub on an index shaft supports a plurality of presses, each of which extends radially in cantilever fashion from the index shaft. In a preferred machine, there are four presses at 90* spacing, and one revolution of the index shaft corresponds to four work cycles. The index shaft is rotated by intermittent motion means to carry the individual presses sequentially and cyclically to the different work positions. At Index Position No. 1, a plurality of (for example) fifteen cigars are automatically loaded and aligned on the cavities of a first open press. The dies of the press are then closed to compress the round cigars. This work is done during a turret dwell period. The force required to close the press dies is provided by mechanical means which are independent of the intermittent motion means which drive the index shaft. During the same dwell period that cigars are being loaded into the first press at Index Position No. 1 and the press closed, other cigars in a closed second press at Index Position No. 2 are having holes formed in their heads, and, at Index Position No. 3, a third press is being opened and the pressed or squared cigars discharged on to a table from which they are taken away on a conveyor.

221 Filed:

United States Patent 1 Smith [111 3,710,802 51 Jan. 16, 1973 [54] INDEXING CIGAR PRESSING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATIC INPUT AND OUTPUT [75] Inventor: Dale R. Smith, York, Pa.

[73] Assignee: York Research 8: Development Corp., Red Lion, Pa.

Dec. 8, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 96,020

Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner.l. F. Pitrelli Att0rney-Paul & Paul [5 7 ABSTRACT An automatic turret-type indexing pressing machine is I loaded with round cigars. The cigars are pressed into square (or other) shape and discharged on to a conveyor. A turret-like hub on an index shaft supports a plurality of presses, each of which extends radially in cantilever fashion from the index shaft. in a preferred machine, there are four presses at 90 spacing, and one revolution of the index shaft corresponds to four work cycles. The index shaft is rotated by intermittent motion means to carry the individual presses sequentially and cyclically to the different work positions. At lndex Position No. 1, a plurality of (for example) fifteen cigars are automatically loaded and aligned on the cavities of a first open press. The dies of the press are then closed to compress the round cigars. This work is-done during a turret dwell period. The force required to close the press dies is provided by mechanical means which are independent of the inter mittent motion means which drive the index shaft. During the same dwell period that cigars are being loaded into the first press at Index Position No. 1 and the press closed, other cigars in a closed second press at Index Position No. 2 are having holes formed in their heads, and, at Index Position No. 3, a third press is being opened and the pressed or squared cigars discharged on to a table from which they are taken away on a conveyor. 8

27 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN 16 1975 SHEET Gilli-'11 O O O O O O O 0 Nmm o o 0% o o INVENTOR.

DALE RS MITH ATTORNEYS. v

wm ms PATENTEDJANISIHB 3.710.802

\ SHEET D20F 11 flq. 2e INVENTOR.

DALE RQSMITH AT TORNEYS- INDEX POSITION 2 PATENTEDJAN 16 I975 SHEET 3,710,802 OBUF 11 AT TOR N EYS- PATENTED JMI 16 I975 SHEET 0% OF 11 I g2 INVENTOR.

' DALE R. SMITH i mkflwa ATTORNEYS.

PATENTEDJAH 16 I975 3,710,802

SHEET 05 [1F 11 INVENTOR.

DALE R. SMITH m Wham ATTORNEYS- PATENTEDJAH 16 ma SHEET OB [1F 11 INVENTOR.

DALE R. SMITH ATTORNEYS.

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PATENTEDJAH 16 I973 SHEET U7UF 11 [2J4 VA INVENTOR. DALE R. SMITH WWW ATTORNEYS.

1 DALE R. SMITH ATTORNEYS PATENTEDJAH 16 I975 SHEET 08 [1F 11 PATENTEDJAN 1 6 I975 3.710.802

SHEET 10 0F 11 INVENTOR.

l3 lg DALE RSMTH BY I (/d3L (R ATTORNEYS- PATENTEUJAH 16 I975 SHEET 11 [1F 11 INVENTOR. DALE R. SMITH ATTORNEYS INDEXING CIGARPRESSING MACHINE WITII AUTOMATIC INPUT AND OUTPUT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION section and then to press the round cigars into square cross-sectional shape.v Cigars v with flat sides are sides can be carried, without rolling, through the autopreferred for several reasons. First, cigars with flat matic film wrapping and bandingequipment on conveyor equipment. Secondly, cigars with flat sides can be packed more tightly in the boxes or packages in which cigars are generally sold and retailed. Thirdly, cigars with flat sides are preferred by many smokers.

Heretofore, cigars have been manually compressed from round into square shape-by a batch process. The round cigars are manually placed into trays and the trays are stacked one on top of the other. The stack of trays, containing the round cigars, is then placed in a cabinet the walls of which are of shorter height than the stack of trays. A top or lid is placed on the cabinet and the stack of trays is pressed downwardly to cause the bottom of each trayto press upon the cigars on the tray beneath. The lid is then locked. The'compressed stack of trays of cigars are then left in the locked cabinet overnight, or for some other long period of time suffiv cient to cause the cigars to hold their compressed shape after the compression is removed. This prior art method, which is obviously a batch operation, requires a lot of time, and is not useful to a system wherein cigars are to be made by continuousautomatic methods on in-line equipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION machine, as aforesaid, in which the forces required for pressing round cigars into square shape is provided by mechanical means, as distinguished from hydraulic means.

Another object is to provide an automatic mechanical pressing machine for cigars, as aforesaid wherein a at one of the indexed work positions, with means for forming axial holes in the heads of the cigars'while the cigars are in thepress.

Another object is to provide automatic loading means for feeding cigars to the pressing machine and inserting them into the die cavities of the press.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of the indexing cigar pressing machine of the present invention, the front of the machine being at the bottom of the drawing and the rear of the machine at the top of the drawing;

FIG. 2 is a series of diagrammatic illustrations which will be helpful in understanding the operation of the in-' dexing pressing machine;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 looking rearwardly and showing the four presses extending radially, at 90 spacings, from the index shaft;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1, looking rearwardly and is an'enlarged view showing the index shaft and further details of the press and the cam plate for closing the press;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section along the line 5-5 of FIG.- I 1 looking rearwardly and showing the drive means for g driving the various cam shafts and indexing shaft;

- FIG. 10 looking forwardly and showing further structural details of the forming mechanism;

plurality of presses are used, with the individual presses being moved sequentially into indexed work positions.

Another object is to provide an automatic pressing machine for cigars as aforesaid wherein a plurality of presses are supported radially in cantilever fashion on an index shaft, and intermittent motion means are provided for rotating the index shaft to move the radially extending presses sequentially into different work posi- FIG; 6 is a vertical section along the line 6-6 of FIG. 1 looking toward the left or input side of the machine;

FIG. 7 is a vertical section along the line 7-7 of FIG.

which the forming needles are rotated'on their own axes during the forming operation;

FIG. 12 is a vertical sectionalong the line 12-12 of FIG. 13 is a horizontal section along the line 13-15 of FIG. 10 looking downward and showing structural details of the forming-needlesand mechanism for moving the needles through the fixed heater;

ing presses is provided by means which do not require FIG. 14 is an enlarged view showing further details of the needle carriage after it has been moved toward its forward position; I

FIG. 15 is a vertical section along the line 15-15 of FIG. I looking toward the left and showing the mechanism for extracting the cigars from the press in indexing position No. 3;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged vertical section showing the cigar being ejected from the open press on the elevata ble table above the take-away vconveyor.

FIG. 17 which appears on the same sheet of drawing as FIG. 4, is a fragmentary detailed sectional view showing the construction of one of the die cavities.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE MACHINE OPERATION It will be helpful to refer first to FIG. 2 where the one cigar shown is representative of a group of, for example, fifteen cigars which are worked on simultaneously at each of the Index Positions or work stations. FIG. 2 consists of a series of sequential diagrammatic illustrations, 2a through 2e. FIG. 2a represents a press which extends horizontally from the index shaft at Index Position No. l. The press is open and a cigar C is about to be pushed by a finger 112 on to a cavity 32 in a lower die 22. Upper die 21 is shown thereabove. FIG. 2b shows the'projecting head of the cigar being transverselyaligned in the open press by alignment finger 131. In FIG. 20, the dies of the press have been closed and the cigar has been pushed down into the cavity 32. The dies are so formed that the upper and lower surfaces of the cigar are pressed into concave shape. This allows for the material of the cigar to spring out, after the press dies are opened to provide a generally square cigar. FIG. 2d depicts the press after it has been moved through 90 to Index Position No. 2. The press now extends vertically upward from its turret on the index shaft. Here, an axial hole H is formed by a heated needle N in the head of the cigar while the press is still closed. The heater is represented by the reference numeral 270. In FIG. 2e, the press again extends horizontally, having moved through another 90 to Index Position No. 3. The dies of the press are now inverted relative to their positions at Index Position No. l. The press at Index Position No. 3 is shown open and the cigar C is about to be pushed out of the die 21 by the push finger 336. The discharged cigars are received on a table 50 which is then lowered to place the cigars on an output conveyor 55.

It will be understood that the work at Index Positions Nos. 1, 2 and 3 is carried on simultaneously. Specifically, during a turret dwell period, at Index Position No. l, a group of fifteen cigars are automatically fed from the supply hopper, loaded into an open first press, and the press closed; at Index Position No. 2, a preceding group of fifteen cigars, in a closed second press, are having axial holes formed in their heads; at Index Position No. 3, a third press is being opened, and a still more advanced group of fifteen cigars are being discharged. A fourth press, at Inde'x Position No. 4, is

open and empty. No work is done at this position.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE MACHINE A brief description of the automatic pressing machine of the present invention will be given. FIG. 1 is a plan view of the machine. Four presses 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d extend radially, at 90 spacing, from a turret hub on an index shaft 60. Shaft 60 extends horizontally through the machine and is suitably supported in frame members 45 and 46, as seen in FIG. 10. Frame members 45 and 46 are channel members which extend vertically from the base to well above the remainder of the open box-like frame of the machine.

To facilitate a description of the machine, the work position at which the cigars are loaded into the open press and the press closed to compress the cigars, will be referred to as Index Position No. l. The next work position at which holes are formed in the heads of the cigars will be referred to as Index Position No. 2. The next work position at which the press is opened and the pressed cigars discharged therefrom, will be referred to as Index Position No. 3. The fourth position, which is an idle work position, will be referred to as Index Position No. 4. These work positions are reached in sequence, in the order indicated, as the turret on index shaft 60 is rotated through 360, in a clockwise direction as viewed from the front of the machine. The turret is moved by intermittent motion means, with a dwell at each of the index positions to allow for work to be done. With four presses, there are four index work positions and hence four dwell periods for each complete rotation of the index shaft 60. In other words, there are four work cycles for each 360 rotation of the index shaft. In each work cycle, one-quarter of the cycle is used for loading the cigars into the press at Index Position No. l, one-quarter for closing the press, and one-half for rotating the press to the next work position. Thus, one-half of each cycle period is dwell period.

The figures of drawing in the present application assume that the four presses are in a dwell period of the cycle, with the four presses being in the following positions: The first press 20a is at Index Position No. 1, and extends from index shaft 60 horizontally to the left as viewed from the front of the machine; the second press 20b extends vertically upwards; the third press 20c extends horizontally to the right; and the fourth press 20d extends vertically downwardly.

In the illustrations, and also in the description, it is assumed that each press has a capacity of IS cigars, but, of course, the invention is not limited to this number. A supply hopper is located forward of the press position at Index Position No. 1 and is filled with a large supply of round cigars. All of the work which is done at one Index Position is, of course, time related to work done at other Index Positions, the coordination being under the control of a main shaft 80, seen in FIG. 5.

As soon as press 20a arrives at Index Position No. l, fifteen fingers 112 push fifteen cigars from the lower part of the hopper 100 on to the upper surface of fifteen cavities 32 in the lower die 22of the open press 20a. As will be described in detail later, fifteen vertical columns of cigars are formed in the lower portion of the hopper 100 by the action of a series of'verticallydisposed spaced-apart vane plates 107 and 108 which are positioned below the upper main chamber of the hopper 100.

Alternate vane plates 107 (the odd numbered vane plates) are tied together and form one set. The evennumbered vane plates 108 are tied together and form a second set. The two sets of vane plates 107 and 108 are moved reciprocatingly up and down in out-of-phase relation. Extending across the top edge of each vane plate is a roller 66 whose axis is in the vertical plane of the vane plate.'These rollers reciprocate up and down with the vane plates. The effect is to jostle the supply of cigars in the main hopper above and to cause cigars to sift down into the IS narrow spaces between the vanes 107 and 108. In this manner, 15 columns of parallel aligned cigars are formed.

When push fingers Il2'push the fifteen cigars into I the open press, one above each cavity 32, the heads of the cigars project beyond the die 22, and alignment fin gers I31 move forward in timed relation with the rearward movement of fingers 112 to align the projecting heads transversely. The dies of the press 20a are then closed by means to be described. As previously indicated, closing of the press occurs during the dwell period. This is an important feature.

While the first press 20a is being loaded and then closed at Index Position No. l, axial holes are being formed in the heads of cigars in a closed second press b at Index Position No. 2, and at lndex Position No. 3 the third press 200 is being opened and I5 pressed cigars with holes in their heads are being unloaded therefrom by means of IS fingers 336 which move forwardly in timed relation to the opening of the press 200. The pressed cigars are received on table 50 which is provided with two recesses 51 through which pass the chains of an output conveyor 55. When the cigars are pushed from the open press 20c on to the table 50, the table 50 is in an elevated position, and the cigars straddle the two recesses 51. The table 50 is then lowered and the cigars come into engagement with, and are carried away by, the conveyor 55. On the conveyor 55, the cigars lie in spaced parallel relation, with the axes of the cigars transverse to the direction of travel of the conveyor.

CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF THE PRESSES Reference is now made to FIGS. 3 and 4, which are vertical sections showing the four presses 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d, or at least portions thereof, in the four Index Positions No. 1 through 4, respectively. Each of the presses extends radially from, and is supported in cantilever fashion on the index shaft 60. Shaft 60, when it rotates, rotates in the clockwise direction, as viewed from the front of the machine, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 3. Each of the four presses is similar and, accordingly, it will be necessary todescribe but one of the presses. The first press 20a in lndex Position No. 1 will be described in detail. Similar reference numerals will be used on similar parts on the other presses.

As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the dies 22 of the-presses are supported in cantilever fashion from index shaft 60 by four turret wings 94 to which the dies .22 are secured, as by bolts or by welding. The four wings 94 extend radially outwardly from a central hub which is keyed, as by keys 61 (FIG. 4), to index shaft 60. lndex shaft 60 is supported by vertical channel members 45 from the lower die 22.This upward pull results from the fact that the lower ends of the heavy coil springs 37 v press against the upper surface of the rigid frame 25,

while the upper ends of the springs 37 thrust against the enlarged heads of a pair of posts 24 which extend downwardly through sleeve bushings 34, with posts 24 being connected, at their lower ends, to a pair of inverted U-shaped channel or bridge members 35 which are connected to the upper surface of upper die 21 and span thereacross.

Extending through the channels of the inverted U- shaped bridge members 35 is a toothed rack 28 which is movable on roller bearings in a bearing retainer 29 positioned between the under surface of the rack 28 and the upper surface of the upper die 21. Three gears 27 are in engagement with the teeth of the rack 28 and also with the teeth of three fixed gear sectors 26 which are secured to the underside of the rigid frame 25. It will be seen that if rack 28 is moved on its rollers in a radially outwardly direction, to the left as viewed in In this downward movement, the upper die 21 is guided vertically by the six tie bars 23.

The width of the die cavities 32 in die 22 is less than the width of the round cigar. Thus, the cigars rest on the cavities, as seen in FIG. 4. When the press closes, the fifteen cigars on the die cavities 34 are pushed down into the cavities and compressed into the shape illustrated in FIG. 2c wherein the side surfaces of the cigar areflat but the upper and lower surfaces are concave. The concave surfaces are formed by convex inserts 33 and 44, preferably Teflon, which are inserted into the lower and upper dies, respectively. Further details of the construction of the die cavities is given later.

THE MECHANISM FOR CLOSING THE PRESS To close the press'to compress the 15 cigars requires a very considerable amount of force. By the present invention, a mechanism is provided for applying this large force to close the press during the turret dwell period while index shaft 60 is motionless, and without imposing a large reaction force on the intermittent motion drive means which drives the index shaft.

As seen in FIG. 3, a cam shaft 81 is supported in pillow blocks 181 secured to post 70 of the frame of the machine. Cam shaft 81 carries a pair of cams 85, one

forwardof, and the other rearward of, the .vertical plane which passes through the center of the press 20.

Only the forward cam 85 is visible-in FIG. 3. Cam followers 86 engage and are held against cams 85 'by springs 78. Cam followers 86 are carried at one end of a pair of bell-crank type of lever arms 87. In FIG. 3, a portion of the forward lever arm 87 is broken away to reveal the rearward lever arm 87. Lever arms 87 are pivotal on pins supported in pillow blocks 88 mounted on the base 182 of the frame of the machine. The other ends of the bell-crank lever arms 87 are connected, as by pins 89,to the lower ends of a pair of vertical connection levers 90.

The upper end of each of the levers 90 is provided with an elongated slot 91 through which the index shaft 60 passes. Thus, levers 90 can be raised and lowered to a limited extent relative to the index shaft 60. Carried on each lever 90, opposite slot 91, at the left side thereof, as viewed from the front of the machine, just above index shaft 60, is a pin 93 which connects each lever 90 to a cam plate 92. There are two identical cam plates 92 each having the contour indicated in FIG. 3.

These cam plates 92 are mounted free on index shaft 60 and are rotatable thereabout.

Referring again to cam shaft 81 and to cam plates 85, it will be seen that rotation of cam plates 85 in a counterclockwise direction from the position shown in FIG. 3, will push the cam followers 86 clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 3. The pair of levers 87 will pivot on the pillow blocks 88, and the right end of the lever arms 87 will move downwardly thereby drawing downwardly the pair of connection levers 90. Since the pair of levers 90 are connected at their upper ends by the pins 93 to the pair of identical cam plates 92, the downward movement of pins 93 will cause the cam plates 92 to move in a counterclockwise direction about the indexing shaft 60.

The action described above is shown enlarged and in greater detail in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, the pair of cam plates 92 are shown in three positions, identified as cam positions Nos. 1, 2 and 3. Cam position No. l in FIG. 4 corresponds to the cam position shown in FIG. 3.

Referring again to FIG. 4 (and also to FIG. a pair of blocks 95 is secured, as by welding, to each turret wing 94. Blocks 95 supports a pin 97 therebetween. Pivotally supported on pin 97 is a two-legged lever 96 (see FIG. 10) having at its outward end an elongated cross shaft 76 which carries at its opposite ends a pair of cam follower rollers 99. The two-legged lever 96 also carries, between its two legs, inward of the cross shaft 76 a block 98 which is supported on a pin 79 which extends between the legs of the lever 96.

Cam plates 92, levers 90, bellcranks 87, cam followers 86 and cams 85, function as the means for controlling the opening and closing of the presses without rotation of the index shaft 60 on which the cam plates 92 are free mounted. When cam plates 92 are in Cam Position No. l, the cam follower rollers 99 are in the positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and press 200 in Index Position No. I is open, while presses 20b and 200 in Index Positions Nos'. 2 and 3 are closed. Press 20d in Index Position No. 4 is open. 1

It will be understood that the condition of the presses, i.e., whether the presses are open or closed, depends upon the position of rollers 99 on cam plates 92. If the rollers 99 are on the small diameter of the cam plates 92 the press associated therewith is open. If 'the rollers 99 are on the large diameter of the cam plates 92, the associated press is closed.

When connection levers 90 are pulled downward,

and cam plates 92 move pivotally counterclockwise to Cam Position No. 2, the cam follower rollers 99 associated with press 20a move slightly outwardly, thereby moving block 98 slightly outwardly, and thereby pushing pad 31 and rack 28 slightly outwardly, toward the left as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4. As the cam plates 92 continue in their counterclockwise movement, the rollers 99 are moved further outwardly and rack 28 is pushed further outwardly until, at Cam Position No. 3, the rollers 99 have been cammed all the way out to the large diameter ofthe cam plates 92, and rack 28 (due to block 98 pushing against pad 31 which in turn pushes against rack 28) has been pushed all the way to its extreme outward position, thereby forcing the upper die plate 21 downward and thereby closing the press 20a.

During the time interval that press 200 in Index Position No. l is being closed by the action just described, press 20b in Index Position No. 2 remains closed. This is evident in FIGS. 3 and 4 from the fact that cam follower rollers 99 associated with press 20b remain at the larger diameter of the cam plates 92. However, during this time interval, press 20c at Index Position No. 3 is changed from closed to open condition. This will be evident from the following: When the pair of connecting levers are drawn downwardly, and the pair of cam plates 92 are moved counterclockwise about index shaft 60 to Position 2, the pair of cam followers 99 associated with press 200 Index Position No. 3, snap suddenly to the left as soon as the large diameter of the cam plates 92 have cleared the cam followers 99. This action results from the fact that the heavy springs 37 are constantly exerting a force in a direction to pull the posts 24, bridges 35, and die plate 21 away from the die plate 22. This force applied through gears 27 to the fixed gear sectors 26, establishes a force on rack 28 which tends to move rack 28 toward the index shaft 60. This force on rack 28 is applied through pad 31 to block 98 which is pinned to the two legs of cam follower lever arm 96 which pivots about pivot pin 97. In this manner, the pair of cam followers 99 associated with press 200 move suddenly and sharply to the small diameters of the pair of cam plates 92 as soon as the large diameters have cleared the cam followers. The condition is identified as Position 2 (Pos. 2) in FIG. 4.

During the time interval just described, press 20d in Index Position No. 4, remains open, as is evident from the fact that the cam follower rollers 99 associated therewith are on the small diameter of the cam plates 92.

Means are provided for latching the lower die 22 in position at Index Position No. l to assure that the fifteen cigars which are pushed on to the lower die 22 from the supply hopper 100 are received on the cavities 32. Such latching means will now be described. Keyed on shaft 81 is a cam plate 142 and in engagement therewith is a follower roller 143. Roller 143 is carried at one end of a bell-crank lever which is pivotal about pin 144 supported in a bracket on side post 70. The roller 143 is biased against the cam plate 142 by a spring 149 attached to the upper leg of the bell crank 145. The upper end of the bell crank 145 carries a hollow post 146 through which extends a pin 147 having a round head which is adapted to be received within a socket 148 supported below the'undersurface of the lower die 22. Pin 147 is biased outwardly toward the socket 148 by a spring 157. The contour of cam plate 142 is so designed that the upper portion of the bell crank 145 (which carries the post 146 and pin 147) is in its spring-biased retracted position when the press 20 is moving rotationally about index shaft 60, and is cammed forward against the action of spring 149 when the press 20 is rotationally motionless. In this way, the die 22 is held in proper position to receive the cigars on its cavities 32, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

THE DIE CAVITIES The die cavities 32 in the lower die 22 will now be described. The detailed construction thereof is shown in FIG. 17 which appears on the same sheet of drawing as FIG. 4. The main body of lower die 22 is provided with transverse ribs 57 on its upper surface forming transverse channels 58 therebetween. Positioned above the channels 58 and secured to the body of the die 22 as by bolts 53 are a series of bars 52 which extend in parallel spaced-apart relation across the die 22 in the forward-to-rearward direction of the cigar pressing machine. Bars 52 are spring loaded upwardly as by springs 54. Opposing faces of bars 52 are provided with dovetail grooves which receive inserts 56 of plastic material having low coefficient of friction, preferably Teflon. The opposing faces of inserts 56 are flat, and

. form the side walls of the die cavities 32. The spacing between the opposing inserts or side walls of the cavities 32 is less than the diameter of the round cigars, as is illustrated in FIG. 4.

Ribs 57 are provided with dovetailed grooves which receive Teflon inserts 33 which function as the base of the cavities. The upper face surfaces of inserts 33 are convex. The upper die 21 is provided with dovetail grooves located above and in the vertical planes of the die cavities 3 2. Teflon inserts 44 are inserted into the dovetail grooves. The lower face surfaces of inserts 44 are convex.

When the presses close, inserts 44 in the upper die 21 press down upon the cigars C forcing the cigars down into the cavities 32. This action causes the springloaded bars 52 with their inserts 56 to also move downwardly against the action of the springs 54. As a result, the cigars are cushioned against the shock which the cigars would otherwise receive if the Teflon side walls of the cavities did not move, at least initially, with the cigars. The downward movement of the Teflon side walls in the. initial stage of the closing of the press allows the cigars to be worked down into the cavities 32 without imposing objectionable sudden stress on the cigar.The action is facilitated by the fact that the upper edges of the inserts 56 are beveled.

W hen the dies of the press are fully closed, the cigars take on the shape indicated in FIG. 4 at Index Positions Nos. 2 and 3, and in FIG. 2d. It will be seen that opposite side faces'of the cigars are flat while the upper and lower faces are concave. The cigarsare retained in this shape so long as the press is closed. The press is closed in Index Position No. '1 'and is not opened until Index Position No. 3. The purpose of compressing the cigars into thecross-sectional shape shown and described above is to allow for the expansion which will take place after the cigars are removed from the press. The cigars, upon removal, will expand into the generally square shape indicated in FIG. 2e.

It is to be emphasizedthat a very considerable force is required to close the press to compress the fifteen cigars and that, in accordance with the present invention, this force is provided mechanically by the mechanism described without imposing any reaction force on the intermittent-motion drive means which drives the index shaft 60. The reaction force resulting from the closing of the press is taken by the index shaft 60 and its bushings but only at those times in the cycle when index shaft 60 is motionless, i.e., only at the dwell periods.

THE SUPPLY CONTAINER Attention is now directed to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, which relate tothe input end of the machine. Shown specifically in FIGS. 7-9 are the following: l the mechanism for axially aligning a plurality, such as fifteen, cigars in the lower chamber of the supply hopper 100; (2) the mechanism for inserting the cigars on to the press cavities 32 of the open press 20a at Index Position No. 1; and (3) the mechanism for aligning transversely the heads of the cigars as they project from the die 22 of the open press.

A relatively large quantity of cigars of circular'cross section are placed in the supply container or hopper 100 having a main upper chamber having inwardly inclined walls and a lower chamber for the vane plates. A front door 140, hinged at 141, provides access to the main upper chamber of the hopper 100. Supported below the main chamber of supply hopper 100 an: a series of vertically-disposed spaced-apart parallel vane plates. Alternate vane plates are connected together forming two interleavedsets, 107 and 108. The vane plates extend from the front to the rear at the lower portion of hopper 100 and are supported at their front and rear edges by being pinned to vane drive bars 105 and 106, set 107 being pinned to drive bars 105, and set 108 being pinned to drive bars 106.

Supported across the upper edges of the vane plates are rollers 66 supported at each end by pins held in bosses 67 which project upwardly. The bosses 67 are peaked, forming inclined surfaces.

As indicated above, the two sets of vane plates 107, 108 are pinned, at both their forward and rearward ends, to horizontal vane drive bars 105 and 106 which are driven by eccentric drive means so that the vane plates are driven reciprocatingly up and down. Preferably, the vane plates are spring loaded downward. The two sets of vane plates 107 and 108 are driven'in out-of-phase relation, that is, oneset of alcigars in'the main supply chamber from bridging across the series of vane plates and assist or facilitate the jos tled cigars to find their way into the spaces between the vane plates. In this-way, fifteen columns of cigars areformed, as indicated in FIG; 7. The eccentric means for.

driving the two sets of vane plates up and down in outof-phase relation will now be described.

Each of the vane. plates is provided with upper and lower projections 117 and 118, respectively,at both the front and rear edges of the plate. These projections extend through slots 102 in the front and rear walls 101, 103 of the lower portion of hopper 100. Since the eccentric driving mechanism at the rear of the supply container is similar to that at the forward end, it will be necessary to describe but one of them. The forward mechanism is illustrated in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 and will be described.

Secured to the upper projections 117 of the vane plates of each of the two sets 107 and 108 are pins 127 which extend forwardly. Extending transversely across the front edges of the two sets of vane plates, at the level of the upper projections 117, are a pair of vane drive bars 105 and 106, with bar 106 being closer to the wall of the hopper than bar 105. One set of vane plates 107 is secured by its pins 127 to the closer bar 106. The

other set of vane plates 108 is secured by its pins 127 to the outer bar 105, with the pins 127 extending through slots in the closer bar 106 to reach the outer bar 105. The slots 102 in the front wall 101 of the lower chamber of hopper 100 allow for up and down movement of the projections 117 and 118 which extend therethrough.

Supported in the front and rear walls 101 and 103 of the lower chamber of hopper 100 are bushings (see 171 and 172 of FIG. 9) which support a pair of spaced apart shafts 113 and 119 (FIG. 7), one at the left end and the other at the right end of the lower chamber. FIG. 9 is a vertical section showing the right one of these shafts, shaft 1 19, and the eccentric drive means thereon. Shaft 119 has fixed thereto a sprocket 116 which is driven by a chain 115. Fixed on shaft 119 are a pair of eccentrics 109 and 111. These eccentrics are fitted into horizontally oval slots in the vane drive bars 105 and 106, respectively. As shaft 119 is driven rotationally by sprocket 116, the eccentrics 109 and 111 are rotated in out-of-phase relation, and the vane drive bars 105 and 106 are reciprocated up and down. As seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, chain 115 is driven by sprocket 114 which is fixed on the left shaft 113. Also fixed on shaft 113 is a drive sprocket 84 (FIG. 6) which is driven by a chain 83 driven by sprocket82 on drive shaft 81.

By the means just described, the two sets of vane plates 107 and 108 in the lower chamber of the supply hopper 100 are reciprocated up and down, with one set of vane plates being driven in 180 out-of-phase relationship relative to the other set of vane plates. This motion jostles the cigars in the supply upper main chamber of hopper 100, andthe cigars sift down into the vertical spaces between the vane plates 107 and 108, thereby to form, in the present example, fifteen columns of cigars. One of these columns is clearly illustrated in FIG. 7.

LOADING THE PRESS AT INDEX POSITION NO. 1

The means for inserting the cigars into the press is shown in FIG. 6 and will be described.

The lowermost cigar in each of the columns of cigars in the lower portion of hopper 100 is pushed rearwardly into the open press a by one of fifteen pusher fingers 112. These fingers are connected to a cross bar 138 which is secured to a carrier 137 which is supported on a bushing 135 which is slidable along a center guide rod 130 supported in a frame member 128. Carrier 137 has a forwardly extending portion 137a which carries a cross member 136. Cross member 136 is supported at its opposing ends on bushings 134 which are slidable along guide rods 132. Cross member 136 at its center point carries a follower 125 which rides in a cam track 126 in a drum 120. Drum 120 is mounted on a shaft 124 supported in frame members 128 and 129. Shaft 124 is driven by a chain 122 which in turn is driven by sprocket 121 fixed on the cam drive shaft 81.

It will be seen from FIG. 6 that cam track 126 in drum 120 has a relatively long dwell period which allows the carrier 137, pusher bar 138, and pusher fingers 112 to remain in their forward positions during a major portion of the cycle. In the remaining portion of the cycle, the cam follower 125 pulls the carrier 137 rapidly rearwardly (to the right as viewed in FIG. 6)

and then just as rapidly returns the carrier to its forward position. During this rapid in-and-out motion, the bottommost cigars in the fifteen columns are pushed out of the supply bin onto the cavities 32 in the lower die 22 of open press 20a in Index Position No. 1.

It has just been described how a row of fifteen cigars has been pushed from the supply container 100 onto the die cavities 32 of the lower die 22 of the press 20a. To assure that the tips of the cigars are aligned transversely, an alignmentrnechanism is provided which is operated in timed relationship with the mechanism which inserts the fifteen cigars into the press. This alignment stop mechanism is shown in FIG. 6. Fixed on cam shaft 81 is a cam 154 having a cam follower 153. Follower 153 is carried at one end of a bell crank 152 which is pivotal about shaft 155. A tension spring 156, the rearward end of which is fixed to the frame of the machine, holds the follower 153 against the cam 154. Secured to the upper end of the bell crank is one end of a cross bar having fifteen alignment members 131 extending forwardly therefrom. The other end of cross bar 150 is supported by an upright member which also supports shaft 155. The bell crank 152 is normally held by spring 156 in the rearward position, but in timed sequence with the forward motion of the pusher fingers 112, the cross bar 150 is operated to move the fifteen alignment fingers 131 forwardly to align the tips or heads of the cigars transversely along a line rearward of the die 22 of press 20a, so that the head ends of the fifteen cigars project from the press 20a by equal amounts.

FORMING HOLES AT INDEX POSITION NO. 2

During that portion of the cycle described hereinabove wherein press 20d while stationary at Index Position No. 1, is being loaded with a row of 15 cigars and the press then closed by means previously described, the preceding press 20b, which is 90 ahead of press 20a, is stationary at Index Position No. 2. Press 20b is still closed, as is evidenced by the position of cam follower rollers 99 on the large diameter of cam plates 92. In Index Position No. 2, axial holes are formed in the heads of the fifteen cigars in the closed .press 20b. The mechanism for forming holes in the heads of the cigars is illustrated in FIG. 10. v

Referring now to FIGS. 10-13, a movable rack 260- carries fifteen vertically-aligned spaced-apart needles N, there being one needle for each of the fifteen cigars in the closed press 20b. The rearward ends of the needles N extend through holes'in the rack 260 and are threaded for receiving nuts 283. The nuts 283 allow for individual adjustment of the length of each needle. The

mechanism for moving the needle rack 260 back and forth will be described later.

Mounted forward of the movable needle rack 260, and supported on a fixed support plate 273 is an elongated heater 270 surrounded by a heat shield 271. Heater 270 and shield 271 extend upwardly from support plate 273, forward of the rack 260, and the needles N in the rack pass therethrough. When the needle rack 260 is in its rearward position, the forward portions of the needles are in the heater.

Positioned forwardly of heater 270 and heat shield 271, is an elongated movable rack 262 which supports 15 support cups 265 aligned with the heads of the cigars in press 20b. At the upper end of the cup rack 262 is a carrier 266 having rollers 268 which ride in a pair of channels on opposite sides of a horizontal frame member 43 which extends across the top of the machine between the upper ends of the front vertical channel member 45 and the rearward vertical channel member 46. The positions of the vertical channel members is best seen in FIG. 1. A pair of tension springs 261 tend to pull the cup rack carrier 266 forwardly toward press 20b, but the carrier 266 is tied, by a pair of guide rods 263, to a carrier 220 located rearwardly thereof, and carrier 266 cannot move forwardly until the rearward carrier 220 allows it to do so. The rearward carrier 220 is the carrier for the needle rack 260.

The lower end of the cup rack 262 is also biased forwardly toward the press 20b by a pair of lower springs 275, but springs 275 are connected in a different way than the upper springs 261. The fact that the presses are rotatable in a vertical plane through 360 makes it impossible to have tension springs extending forwardly from the lower end of the cup rack 262 to the channel member 45, for such springs would be in the path of the presses. Accordingly, forward biasing of the lower end of the cup rack 262 is accomplished by a pair of extension springs 275, the forward ends of which are connected to the fixed support plate 273 and the rearward ends of which are connected to pins 279 which are secured to and depend from a plate 278, the forward end of which bears against the bottom of cup rack 262, thereby urging cup rack 262 forwardly toward the press 201;.

As sooit as a press has reached Index Positi'on No. 2, (having moved thereto from Index Position No. l) the needle rack 260 is moved forwardly, thereby to move the needles N through the heater 270 and through the 15 support cups 265 into the heads of the 15 cigars which are held in the closed press b. This forward movement of the needle rack 260 is performed by mechanism now to be described.

As seen in FIGS. 10, 13 and 14, fixed to the forward face of needle rack 260 is a plate 229 and projecting rearwardly from plate 229, on opposite sides of rack 260 are members 221. The rearward portion of the members 221 are provided with horizontal slots 226 which receive cam rollers 222 rotatable on shafts fixed in frame member 46.

Pivotally secured to the sides of needle rack 260 on pivot pin 224, are a pair of cam drive plates 223 the of the cam drive plates 223 are pulled downwardly, and. the cam drive plates are cammed forwardly by the action of the fixed-axis rollers 222 in the inclined slots 227, as is illustrated in FIG. 14. This drives the needle rack 260 forward with the cam drive plates pivoting about pivot pins 224. As the rack 260 and rearwardlyextending members 221 move forwardly, the slots 226 in the members 221 move forwardly relative to the fixed-axis rollers 222. v

Needle rack 260 is supported and guided, at its upper end, by a carrier'220, and at its lower end by a guide rod 276 which is received within a slot 277 in the bottom of the rack 260,'as best seen in FIG. 11. Returning again to FIG. 10 as well as to FIG. 11, it is seen that car- 7 rier 220, connected to the upper end of rack 260, is

. member 43, as clearly seen in FIG. 11. The uppermost rearward portions of which are provided with inclined slots 227 which receive the same rollers222 as ride in slots 226 of the members 221.

Connected pivotally to each of the cam drive plates 223 is a connecting rod 225 the lower end of which is connected to a cross niember 240 (FIG. 12) secured to a lever 24] one end of which is pivotally supported on shaft 81 (FIG. 6). Lever 241 is connected to a cam follower roller 242 which rides in cam track 243 on the rear face of cam plate 244 mounted on cam shaft 80.

In FIG. 10, the needle rack drive mechanism, just described above, is illustrated in the position occupied when the needle rack 260 is in the rearward position. In this position the pair of cam drive plates 223 are in their horizontal positions, with slots 227 inclining rearwardly upward. When the pair of connecting rods 225 are pulled downwardly by the cam roller 242, the rear portion of carrier 220 is provided with bushings which ride on a pair of guide rods 263.

When the needle rack 260 is moved forwardly, as just described, the carrier 220 moves forwardly of the enlarged head 264 of guide rods 263. This allows springs 261 and 275 to pull the cup rack 262 forward for a short distance. The forward movement of cup rack 262 is stopped when the upwardly projecting portion of carrier 266 reaches stops 267, as is illustrated in FIG. 14. In this forward position of cup rack 262, the heads of the IS cigars in the closed press 20b enter within and are supported by the IS cups 265.

When the needle rack 260 is moved forwardly in the manner and by the mechanism just described, each needle N is rotated on its individual axis by means now to be described. Mounted for up and down movement at the rear of the needle rack 260, as clearly shown in FIGS. 11 and 13, is a toothed rack 280, and in mesh therewith are 15 gears 281, one fixed to the rearward portion of each of the 15 needles N. The toothedrack 280 is retained by a pair of retainer plates 282. Pivotally secured to needle rack 260 is one end of a lever 285-the other end of which is pivotally connected to the. upper end of a connecting rod 286. Pivotally connected to lever 285 is one end of a lever 287 the other end of which is pivotally secured to toothed rack 280.

As seen in FIG. 10, the lower end of connecting rod 286 is connected to a lever 290 one end of which is pivotally supported on shaft 81 (FIG. 6). Lever 290 carries a cam follower 293 which rides in a track 291 on the forward face of dual-track cam plate 244. It will be seen that when connecting rod 286 is pulled up and down by the cam follower 293, the toothed rack 280 will be moved up and down, thereby rotating the fifteen gears 28], first in one direction and then in the other, thereby rotating the needles N in like manner on their own axes. The movement of the toothed rack 280 is coordinated with the forward and rearward movement ofthe needle rack 260, so that the needles N are rotating on their own axis as they are driven into and their retracted from the heads of the cigars in the closed press 20b. In this manner axial holes are formed in the heads of the cigars at Index Position No. 2.

DISCHARGING CIGARS FROM THE PRESS AT INDEX POSITION NO. 3

During the dwell portion of the cycle when press a in Index Position No. l is being loaded with a row of fifteen cigars and then closed, and holes are being formed in the heads of the cigars in closed press 20b in Index Position No. 2, the third press 200 in Index Position No. 3 is being opened and the cigars therefrom. The mechanism for ejecting the cigars from press 200 in Index Position No. 3 is illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16,

and will now be described.

In FIG. 15, press 20c is still closed. Mounted rearwardly of the closed press 200 is an array of IS push fingers 336, one finger in the verticalplane of each cigar in the press. The fingers 336 are not quite, however, in horizontal alignment with the cigars in the closed press. They are just below the levels of the cigars in the closed press 20c, thereby to allow for the cigars to drop downwardly with the die 21 when the press is opened. It will be understood that the dies 21 and 22 are now inverted relative to the positions which they occupied when the press was in Indexing Position No. 1. What was referred to as the lower die 22 in Index Position No. 1 is now the upper die in Index Position No.3.

The ejection push fingers 336 are fixed to a cross member 337 which is supported on and carried by a carrier 323. Carrier 323 is supported by two bushings 325 (FIG; 5) which ride on a pair of guide rods 324. Carrier 323 is connected to a cam follower 322 which rides in a track 321 in a cam drum 320. During a major portion of the cycle, the carrier323 is in a rearward or retracted position, as illustrated in FIG. 15, but in proper timed relationship with the opening of the press 206, the cam track 321 carries the cam follower 322 sharply forward, thereby moving carrier 323 and the push fingers 336 rapidly forward, thereby to eject the IS cigars from the now open press 200. Cam drum 320 is mounted on a shaft 319 supported in frame members 310 and 313. Shaft 319 is driven by a sprocket 318 driven' by a chain 317, as illustrated in FIG. 15.

Secured to the underside of the forward ends of each of the push fingers 336 is a slotted projection 333 carrying at its forward end a cup 332. Each cup.332 is spring-biased away from the end of finger 336 by a spring 331 supported by an alignment pin 330 which extends axially forwardly from the end of the finger 336. As seen in FIG. 16, a slot 334 in projection 333 receives a pin 335 which extends downwardly from the push finger 336. This arrangement allows cup 332 and plate 333 to be moved rearwardly, toward the end of finger 336, against the action of spring 331 to an extent limited by the length of slot 334. A function of the spring-loaded cups 332 is to provide a cushion against the shock which the cigars in the press would otherwise receive when struck by the push fingers 336, thereby eliminating, or at least substantially reducing, cigar breakage at the discharge position.

When the push fingers 336 are moved forwardly toward the press 206, the press 200 opens and the 15 cups, cushioned by springs 331, engage the heads of the fifteen cigars which have now dropped down with the die plate 21. The alignment pins 330 enter the holes in the heads of the cigars which were formed thereon at Index Position No. 2. The fingers 336 push the cigars out of the cavity of the open press 200 and on to a table 50, as illustrated in FIG. 16. The fingers 336 together with the cups 332 are then withdrawn to their rearward or retracted position, illustrated in FIG. 15.

When the cigars in open press 200 are moved by the fingers 336 on to table 50, the table is in an elevated position, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16. Table 50 is then lowered to a position below 'a take-away or output belt conveyor 55 and the pressed cigarsare carried away by the belt conveyor, as indicated by the cigar shown in phantom in FIG. 16. Recesses 51 are provided in the table 50 to receive the belt conveyor 55 when the table is raised.

Raising and lowering of the table 50 is accomplished by means shown in FIG. 15. As there shown, a cam 304 is mounted on a shaft 301 supported bctween frame members 311 and 312. Shaft 30] is driven by a sprocket 302 which is driven by a chain 303. A cam followcr 305 is mounted on a pin in table 50 so that rotation of cam 304 will raise and lower cam follower 305, thereby raising and lowering table 50.

THE DRIVE MEANS The drive means for driving the various shafts will now be described. FIG. 5 is a vertical section along the line 5-5 of FIG. 1 looking toward the rear of the machine. A motor 200 drives, through a gear reducer 201, a shaft carrying a sprocket 202 about which is trained a chain 203 whichdrives a sprocket 204 keyed to a shaft 80. Also keyed on shaft is a sprocket (not visible in FIG. 5) about which is trained a chain 190 which drives a sprocket 191 which is keyed to a cam shaft 81.

Also keyed on cam shaft 30 is a sprocket (not visible in FIG.- 5) about which is trained achain 214 which drives a sprocket 216 on a shaft 215. Trained about sprocket 216 is chain 317 (see also FIG. 15) which drives sprocket 318 keyed to shaft 319 on which is mounted cam drum 320 which drives the cross member 337 on which are mounted the ejection push fingers 336 which are used to eject the cigars from the press in Indexing Position No. 3.

Fixed to cam shaft 80 is a cam plate 161 having a track 162 therein. Riding intrack 162 is a cam follower 163 which is carried at one end of a lever arm 164 the upper-end of which is secured, as by a bolt 212, to a split collar 211 which embraces index shaft 60. Rotatably mounted on lever arm 164 is a bevel gear 165 which, as seen more clearly in FIG. 10, is disposed between and in engagement with each of two spacedapart bevel gears 208 and 209. Bevel gears 208 and 209 are each mounted on index shaft 60 in vertical spacedapart relation. Gear 208 is mounted free on shaft 60 while gear 209 is keyed thereto.

Bolted or otherwise secured to bevel gear 208 is a sprocket 207 driven by a chain 206 which is trained about and driven by a sprocket on shaft 80. Thus, so long as the press machine is running, bevel gear 208 is being constantly rotated free on index shaft 60. The drive may be traced back through sprocket 207, chain 206, sprocket 205, shaft 80, sprocket 204, chain 203, sprocket 202, reducer 201 and thence to drive motor 200. The other bevel gear 209, on the other hand, is sometimes stationary and at other times is driven rotationally, depending upon the action of the intermediate bevel gear 165. When bevel gear 209 is driven rota- 

1. In cigar manufacture, a turret-type pressing machine for shaping cigars in a continuous operation, said machine comprising: a. a frame; b. an index shaft supported for rotation in said frame; c. a plurality of presses; d. means supporting an end of each press on said index shaft in cantilever fashion with each press extending radially outwardly from said shaft in a common plane; e. a plurality of work stations, including a cigar loading station and a cigar unloading station, located adjacent said common plane; f. intermittent motion drive means for driving said index shaft to intermittently rotate said presses about said index shaft axis in said common plane; and g. means for closing and opening said presses, said last-named means comprising: g-1. cam plate means supported for free pivotal movement about said index shaft; g-2. cam follower means adapted to be moved radially by said cam plate means; g-3. biasing means maintaining said cam follower means in engagement with said cam plate means; g-4. lever means connected pivotally to said cam plate means to one side of said index shaft axis for moving said cam plate means pivotally on said index shaft to move said cam follower means; g-5. thrust means for closing said press; and g-6. means coupling said cam follower means to said thrust means.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in the provision of: a. drive means for said lever means; b. means for operating said drive means in timed relation with said index shaft but otherwise independently of said intermittent motion means.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 characterized in that: a. each of said plurality of presses comprises a first die having a plurality of cavities therein and a second die; b. said biasing means which maintain said cam follower means in engagement with said cam plate means comprises spring means tending to maintain said first and second dies spaced apart to maintain said press normally open.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3 characterized by the provision at said loading station of: a. a supPly container for cigars; b. alignment means operatively associated with said container for axially aligning a plurality of cigars on parallel axes; c. means for pushing said plurality of axially aligned cigars onto said cavities of said first die when the press is open.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 characterized in that: a. a series of spaced-apart parallel separating vanes are provided in the lower portion of said container forming a plurality of columnar spaces each having a width corresponding to that of one cigar; b. means are provided for reciprocating said vanes up and down in out-of-phase relation to cause cigars in said supply container to drop into said columnar spaces, thereby to form a plurality of columns of axially parallel cigars in the lower portion of said container.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 4 characterized in that: a. means, including said biasing spring means, said cam plate means, and said cam follower means, are operative to open said press at said unloading station; b. push means are provided at said unloading station for pushing said cigars in their axial directions to remove said cigars from the open press; c. table means are provided at said unloading station for receiving said removed cigars; and d. conveyor means are provided for conveying away said removed cigars in successive order in axially parallel array.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6 characterized by the provision of means at said loading station for transversely aligning the heads of said plurality of axially parallel cigars such that the heads of said cigars project equally from said press.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 7 characterized by the provision of: a. an intermediate work station adjacent the common plane of rotation of said presses and located between said loading and unloading stations; b. forming means at said intermediate station for forming axial holes in the projecting heads of the plurality of cigars while the press is closed.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 3 characterized in that said intermittent motion drive means comprises: a. a first bevel gear mounted free on said index shaft; b. means driving said first bevel gear continuously rotationally; c. a second bevel gear mounted fixed on said index shaft at spaced separation from and facing said first bevel gear; d. a shaft mounted pivotally on said index shaft and extending radially therefrom between said first and second bevel gears; e. a third bevel gear mounted for rotation on said radially extending shaft, said third bevel gear being intermediate and in mesh with both said first and second bevel gears; f. cam means for moving said radially-extending shaft pivotally on said index shaft to move said third gear back and forth on said first and second bevel gears at a rate related to the rate of rotation of said first bevel gear to drive said second bevel gear rotationally at a relative high speed when said radial shaft is pivoted in one direction and to maintain said second bevel gear rotationally motionless when said radial shaft is pivoted in the other direction.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 9 characterized in that: a. a frame is provided for each press spaced from said first die beyond said second die and tied to said first die by rods which pass through said second die; b. said biasing spring means bias said second die toward said frame and away from said first die; c. a plurality of gear sectors are provided at spaced apart locations fixed to the underside of the said frame between said frame and said second die; d. a toothed rack is supported on the upper side of said second die between said gear sectors and said second die; e. a plurality of gears are provided, one for each fixed gear sector, in engagement with said toothed rack and with said gear sectors, whereby movement of said toothed rack in the direction of said radially extending press causes said gears to move around said gear sectors thereby forcing said rack and second die away from said frame and towards said first die to close said press.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 10 characterized by the provision of roller bearing means between said toothed rack and said die.
 12. Apparatus for shaping cigars in a continuous operation, said apparatus comprising: a. a plurality of work positions adjacent a common plane; b. a plurality of cigar presses each including a multi-cavity shaping die; c. drive means for moving said presses intermittently through said common plane to present said presses simultaneously and in cyclical sequence at said work positions; d. a supply container for cigars at a first of said work positions; e. loading means for loading a plurality of cigars from said container into an open press at said first work position; f. means for closing the press when said press is motionless at said first work position; g. means for opening a press when said press is motionless at a subsequent work position; h. discharge means at said subsequent work position for discharging shaped cigars from said opened press; and i. means for conveying said shaped cigars away from said last-named work position.
 13. Apparatus according to claim 12 characterized in that: a. a shaft is provided on which said presses are supported at one end and from which said presses extend along radial lines in a common plane.
 14. Apparatus according to claim 13 characterized in that: a. said means for moving said presses includes intermittent motion drive means connected to said shaft for rotating said shaft intermittently and cyclically; b. said means for closing said press when said press is motionless includes: b-1. spring biasing means connected to one of said dies for maintaining said pair of dies in spaced-apart relation; b-2. cam means operatively associated with said spring-biased die for closing said dies against the action of said spring biasing means; b-3. lever means operatively associated with said cam means and with said drive means for moving said cam means in timed relation with said intermittent motion drive means but independently thereof.
 15. Apparatus according to claim 14 characterized in that said loading means for loading cigars from said supply container into an open press at said first work position includes means for aligning a plurality of cigars along parallel lines.
 16. Apparatus according to claim 15 characterized in that hole-forming means are provided at a work station located between said loading and discharge stations for forming holes in the heads of said cigars while said cigars are being shaped in said closed presses.
 17. Apparatus according to claim 15 characterized in that said means for aligning a plurality of cigars along parallel lines includes: a. a series of spaced-apart vertically-disposed vane plates in the lower part of said supply container forming a series of columnar spaces each having a width corresponding to that of one cigar, and b. means for reciprocating said vane plates up and down in out-of-phase relation to cause cigars in said supply container to drop into said columnar spaces.
 18. Apparatus according to claim 20 characterized in that said vane plates are provided at their upper edges with rotatable roller on axes in the planes of the vane plates to facilitate entry of cigars into the columnar spaces therebetween.
 19. Apparatus according to claim 14 characterized in that said cam means for closing said dies includes: (a) cam plate means supported free on said shaft; (b) cam follower means in engagement with said cam plate means and with said spring-biased die, said cam follower means including: b-1. cam follower roller means engaging said cam plate means; b-2. elongated bar means extending radially outwardly from said cam follower roller means and supported on said sprIng-biased die; b-3. fixed cam means supported on and connected to the other die; b-4. said spring-biased die being located between said fixed cam means and said other die; b-5. said elongated bar means being adapted to be pushed radially outwardly by said cam follower roller means; b-6. said fixed cam means being adapted to cam said elongated bar means toward said other die thereby to move said spring-biased die toward said other die.
 20. Apparatus according to claim 19 characterized in that: a. said elongated bar is a toothed rack; b. said fixed cam means are gear sectors; c. movable gears are provided between said toothed rack and said gear sectors.
 21. In a turret type press: a. an index shaft; b. intermittent motion means for driving said index shaft rotationally at intermittent periods; c. a first die; d. means supporting said first die at one end thereof on said index shaft in radially extending position; e. a support framework mounted on said first die; f. a second die between said framework and said first die; g. a radial thrust bar between said framework and said second die; h. means, including spring means, connected between said framework and said second die biasing said second die towards said framework and away from said first die, thereby to maintain said press normally open; i. first cam means interposed between said framework and said thrust bar adapted, when said thrust bar is moved radially relative to index shaft, to increase the spacing between said framework and said thrust bar, thereby to move said second die toward said first die, thereby to close said press; j. second cam means supported for free pivotal movement about said index shaft; k. cam follower means interposed between said second cam means and said thrust means; l. drive means independent of said intermittent motion means for pivoting said second cam means about said index shaft when said index shaft is non-rotational, thereby to move said thrust bar radially, thereby to move said second die toward said first die, thereby to close said press.
 22. Apparatus according to claim 21 characterized in that: a. said thrust bar is a toothed rack; b. said first cam means interposed between said framework and said thrust bar includes at least one gear sector secured to said framework and at least one gear in mesh with both said gear sector and said toothed rack.
 23. Apparatus according to claim 22 characterized in that common main drive means are provided for time coordinating said intermittent motion means and said drive means for said second cam means.
 24. Apparatus according to claim 23 characterized in that roller bearing means are interposed between said thrust bar and said second die.
 25. Apparatus according to claim 24 characterized in that: a. said framework is supported on said first die by tie rods which pass through apertures in said second die and are connected to said first die; b. said tie rods function to guide said second die as it is moved toward, and away from, said first die.
 26. Apparatus according to claim 25 characterized in that said means connected between said framework and said second die includes at least one bridge structure secured to said second die having an opening through which said thrust bar passes.
 27. Apparatus according to claim 26 characterized in that said drive means for pivoting said second cam means about said index shaft includes: a. lever means having a slot therein through which said index shaft passes; b. pin means connecting said lever means to said second cam means; c. means for moving said lever means radially relative to said index shaft. 